This weekend

This weekend's adventures involved a slip n' slide, an inflatable pool, and a troop of undergraduates.

My neighbors on either side got together to celebrate the first week of class at around 4 on Friday. The boys next door had spent the previous days filling a 600-gallon inflatable pool. They filled it as much as they could considering that they did not have the foresight to put it on level ground. Consequently, the pool was probably only 3/4 full. They encouraged me to jump in, but I chose to watch the beer pong match instead, which I also declined to participate in (though I had the night before).

The 5 girls who share the house with me set up a slip n' slide, extended with a large tarp, in the backyard. They did not have the foresight to remove all the sticks and rocks beneath the tarp and slip n' slide. Consequently, every girl scraped and bruised herself as she went down. Also, the tarp was not slick enough, so they lubricated it with baby oil and dishwashing liquid. This made them soapy, greasy messes when their battered bodies reached the end of the slip n' slide. They ecouraged me to join in, saying "come on brian, that slip n' slid has your name on it," but I chose to watch them repeatedly, masochistically, abuse themselves with each slide.

Later that night I went to a graduate student party, which ironically was busted by the cops and my former roommate and his roommates were fined a total of 200 dollars. I venture to say that if I phoned in a noise complaint where I live, the cops would just laugh at me. Keep those unruly grad students in line! The last thing they need is a break from work.

Early on Saturday I was walking Sebastian to the empty lot next door off his leash, but bound by the power of his e-collar. He minds well. But I saw the neighbors' dogs and told him to go say "hi." As his disappeared around the corner I heard screams and clamor. I did not know that the girls had a group of people in the porch, most of whom were sitting down playing a game of cards. Sebastian proved to be quite a disruption, destroying the card piles and accidentally scratching a girl. Consequently, I felt inclined to buy the kids a 12-pack of Corona or some other mediocre beer that they would think was fancy, but I decided not to when I heard a girl say "someone's fucking dog scratched the shit out of me." I still felt bad, but not inclined to buy them beer in order to smooth it over.

Tonight I went and saw Superbad, which was decent. Consequently, I enjoyed my movie experience other than the youngins next to me who would not quit talking. I declined to say something to them. I guess that puts me partially at fault. The Bourne Ultimatum was a better movie.

It is 2:02 and the neighbors are still going at it. At least there are no fights as there were Thursday night, which woke me up. Consequently, I did not get a good night of sleep, but it was entertaining to listen to the rumble.

I'm still enjoying a stint of productivity. I ran into my statistician/educational psychology friend at Matt's party and she gave me a good idea for the current section of my dissertation. One more name to add the the Acknowledgements section. 'Acknowledgements' is a long word for just 4 syllables.

And stuff...